Ordinance establishing the economic development advisory commission (EDAC)

Sarissa Seracki, Senior Management Coordinator

Erik Nilsson, City Attorney

Moranda Dammann, Assistant City Manager

Mike Funk, City Manager

The current EDAC is a meeting body that was established through a resolution in 2010. The proposed ordinance reestablishes the EDAC to align in uniformity with the other boards and commissions, which are all established through ordinances. Along with uniformity, this ordinance includes technical corrections to the resolution language, clarified roles and procedures, consistency with other boards and commissions, and reflects current administrative practices.

Motion to adopt the ordinance.

The City established several boards and commissions to provide advice and recommendations to city council on matters related to their respective areas of responsibility. The boards and commissions are established through individual provisions of the City Code, which outline their membership, terms, responsibilities, meeting requirements, and other applicable procedures.

In 1988, the city council established an Economic Development Authority, whose commissioners consisted of a combination of city council members and citizen representatives. The city council decided it was in the public interest to reconfigure the Economic Development Authority to have city council members serve as the commissioners. The city council recognized there was significant benefit in having citizen representatives provide expertise and advice to the city council in the area of economic development and related subjects. Therefore, the city council established an economic development advisory commission on March 8, 2010.

As part of the City's ongoing review of its boards and commissions, city staff reviewed the existing resolution to identify opportunities to improve consistency, clarify language, and align the proposed ordinance with current practices.

The review process included multiple discussions with staff who support the City's EDAC. City staff first met with the staff liaison, along with other necessary staff, to review the details of the resolution and identify potential changes. Following this initial review, staff met with the city manager to discuss the recommended changes and establish consistent language to be used across the City's boards and commissions. Following the city manager's review, city staff, along with the city manager, met with the staff liaison and other necessary staff for a final review of the proposed changes. These discussions provided an opportunity to confirm the recommended amendments, address commission specific considerations, and finalize the proposed ordinance language.

The proposed ordinance incorporates the recommended updates and makes corresponding technical and procedural amendments. The amendments are intended to improve clarity and consistency and reflect current administrative practices. The proposed EDAC ordinance matches the uniformity and general language that appears in the other boards and commissions ordinances.

On Aug. 31, 2026, the ordinance was introduced to city council during a regular meeting. City council discussed whether to keep the city council liaisons on the commission and if members could reside, work, or own a business in the City of Minnetonka. The proposed ordinance reflects the discussion. City staff kept the language regarding the city council liaisons serving on the commission and changed eligibility to members must be residents. Language regarding working or owning a business was removed.